Anarchal Antony or Buffoon Brutus? Though Brutus's speech has brilliant imagery, Antony's speech to the grieving plebeians is more persuasive and powerful to the plebeians and Shakespeare's audience through his use of verbal irony and motivational diction. Antony's purpose in giving his speech is to turn the plebeians of Rome into a war machine against the conspirators. Throughout his speech, Antony praises what "an honorable man" (3.2.103) Brutus is in Rome. Although he is constantly praising Brutus in his speech, Antony is using verbal irony to cause the plebeians to doubt Brutus's honor. In Brutus's speech, Brutus speaks without listening to his ignorant audience so Brutus's speech goes misinterpreted by the plebeians; however, Antony takes opportunities to stop speaking and make sure his audience registers everything his is saying. Antony takes moments to "pause" (3.2.117) in his speech which allows Antony to better understand his audience. Shakespeare chooses to give Antony these pauses to show his audience the intelligence and wit that went into Antony's speech. Contrasting the two speeches, Shakespeare presents Brutus's speech which fails and goes misinterpreted by the plebeians because they want to let "him be Caesar" (3.2.53) which is the polar opposite of why Brutus is speaking; however, when Antony gives his speech, the plebeians are filled with "mutiny and rage" (3.2.134) because they understand who the enemy is through his speech. The speech given by Antony is much more motivational and inspiring than the speech presented by Brutus. Antony listens to his audience and uses verbal irony to plant seeds of doubt about Brutus in their mind throughout his speech, but Brutus's speech does not register correctly with the plebeians because he does not listen to his audience.
Though Brutus's speech has brilliant imagery, Antony's speech to the grieving plebeians is more persuasive and powerful to the plebeians and Shakespeare's audience through his use of verbal irony and motivational diction. Antony's purpose in giving his speech is to turn the plebeians of Rome into a war machine against the conspirators. Throughout his speech, Antony praises what "an honorable man" (3.2.103) Brutus is in Rome. Although he is constantly praising Brutus in his speech, Antony is using verbal irony to cause the plebeians to doubt Brutus's honor. In Brutus's speech, Brutus speaks without listening to his ignorant audience so Brutus's speech goes misinterpreted by the plebeians; however, Antony takes opportunities to stop speaking and make sure his audience registers everything his is saying. Antony takes moments to "pause" (3.2.117) in his speech which allows Antony to better understand his audience. Shakespeare chooses to give Antony these pauses to show his audience the intelligence and wit that went into Antony's speech. Contrasting the two speeches, Shakespeare presents Brutus's speech which fails and goes misinterpreted by the plebeians because they want to let "him be Caesar" (3.2.53) which is the polar opposite of why Brutus is speaking; however, when Antony gives his speech, the plebeians are filled with "mutiny and rage" (3.2.134) because they understand who the enemy is through his speech. The speech given by Antony is much more motivational and inspiring than the speech presented by Brutus. Antony listens to his audience and uses verbal irony to plant seeds of doubt about Brutus in their mind throughout his speech, but Brutus's speech does not register correctly with the plebeians because he does not listen to his audience.